Getting Your ‘Gilmour’ On

August 31, 2013

Look, there’s no need to sugarcoat this—I’m just going to say it and then we’re going to move on with our lives like adults:

You are never going to sound like David Gilmour.*

Hope that isn’t a shock to anyone, but you’ll never have his mind or his hands—two critical pieces of gear necessary for the Gilmour sound. The good news is that you still have some of the same tools available to you that Gilmour used to get his legendary tone (or reasonable facsimiles)—and that studying his tone and trying to replicate it can teach you a lot about yourself as a player and even help you hone in on your own sound. Today we’re looking at some ways to cop that smooth, magical Gilmour tone for use in your own musical life.

Everything starts with the instrument. Gilmour is forever tied to the Fender Stratocaster and with good reason—the triple single-coil pickup configuration is ideal for the smooth, soaring leads that Gilmour perfected in Pink Floyd. If your bank account is loaded, I’ve got good news: Fender Custom Shop made you a practically perfect replica of the black Strat that Gilmour used on Dark Side of the Moon and the Wall, among others. If you don’t have $4k or more to spend on such an instrument, don’t fret (ack, sorry!)—Fender still has you covered. You can get a number of American made Strats in the range of a grand—but you don’t need to drop four figures to get the Strat sound. Fender offers a range of Strats—I particularly like the Road Worn series—that you can easily tweak, mod, or upgrade into higher class instruments. Of course, you don’t have to get a Fender, necessarily—there are a host of Strat-style guitars on the market—just make sure to find one that feels great in your hands and has the classic 3-single coil configuration.

If you’ve picked up a high end Fender Custom Shop guitar, chances are you have killer pickups already, but what if you have a more modest instrument? No problem—EMG sells a David Gilmour Signature pre-wired Strat pickguard/harness that is wired with 3 SA single coils plus their EXG guitar expander (for “tonal girth”) and an SPC presence control. This pickup set is the same set found in David’s famous red Strat. If the EMG set is a little steep, there are a myriad of options for upgrading your pickups—from Seymour Duncan SSLs (for a classic Floyd sound, a la the Black Strat) to Lindy Fralin Blues Specials. A nice set of pickups can turn a mediocre instrument into a fantastic instrument. Gilmour had a mod done to the Black Strat which allowed him to use the neck and bridge pickups simultaneously—you can add this mod to your instrument via a push-pull pot or mini—switch and greatly open up the sonic abilities of your guitar.

So once you’ve got your instrument nailed down, you’re gonna need to plug in, baby. If you’re a diehard, you probably want to get yourself a HiWatt stack or two. Or four. Before you ask, yes—HiWatt produced a Gilmour signature head. However, if you’re a mere mortal or if you care about your back, something more modest is in order—and luckily, modesty can still get you Gilmour-esque tone. The Fender Hot Rod Deluxe is a super popular amp that can cover a lot of bases—not only is it extremely portable, but at 40 watts it has plenty of clean headroom and can be used in a practice room or in any venue. A Fender Twin Reverb or Vox AC30 are slightly heftier options that will retain a great clean tone for days; the Vox will have an added “British” voice that will certainly add to your overall tone. When amp shopping for a Gilmour-y tone, prioritize getting 1) tube circuitry 2) an amp that has tons of clean headroom. Modeling amps and plugs-ins can all achieve a sound that sounds like it sounds like Gilmour—but to get that magic sparkle, you’re going to want tubes.

Finally, there are several effects that are practically proprietary to Gilmour. Step one? Get a fuzz pedal. Gilmour used a germanium Fuzzface, then a silicon BC-108 Fuzzface, then a Big Muff… For the germanium Fuzzface tone, you can try an Earthquaker Devices Dream Crusher or a JHS Pollinator; to cop the BC-108 Fuzzface tone, MXR makes the M173 Classic 108 Fuzz and Solid Gold FX makes the Formula 69; for the Big Muff tone, well—you can always get an EHX USA Big Muff Pi! The Earthquaker Devices Hoof Fuzz and Blackout Effectors Musket Fuzz are also great choices for the Big Muff tone— and a recent favorite for that Gilmour fuzz tone is the awesome Wampler Velvet Fuzz.

Step Two? Delay. Delay for days. Gilmour famously used Binson Echorec delay units, which he eventually replaced with digital delays since the Binsons were tricky to keep up and running on the road. Due to the magic of Catalinbread Echorec delay pedal, you can get as close to the Binson sound as possible without actually running one, spinning magnetic drum and all! There are a number of great delay pedals on the market that can fit the bill for Gilmour—personally, I like the delays that have an added modulation such as the MXR Carbon Copy, an all analog delay with switchable modulation that really thickens and darkens your tone. Modern digital delays can still create a fantastic tone while giving you more versatility – the TC Electronic Flashback x 4 has tap tempo and stores 3 presets, making it useful in a variety of applications, not just in ape-ing Gilmour’s tone!

Lastly, even if your delay pedal has some modulation capabilities—you’re going to want to add some extra modulation into your signal chain. Gilmour used rotary speakers, flangers, and chorus to great effect in Pink Floyd. The EHX Electric Mistress Flanger is a great, vintage flange circuit that Gilmour actually used—the entire EHX Mistress line covers the Floyd flange sound at a variety of price points. TC Electronics’ Nova Modulator has flange AND chorus that can be dialed in to approximate a Leslie-effect, saving some space on your pedalboard. For rotary, any chorus pedal can “fake” it but you’re better off adding in a specific effect such as the Boss RT-20 Rotary Ensemble or (again, if you’re loaded) the Neo Instruments Ventilator. You can always grab a multi-effects unit like the Line 6 M13 or M9, which allow you to quickly dial up multiple effects at once and store them in scenes for easy recall. The Line 6 modulations and delays are, in my humble opinion, pretty stellar—you could augment an M9 with a Fuzzface and have a quick, easy set up that gets you Gilmouring in no time.

As always, these are just guidelines to get you started—as you experiment and test out different gear, you’ll start to piece together the puzzle of how to get that great Gilmour tone and then how to incorporate that into your own sound. If you’ve got a great Gilmour-y rig, let us know what you’re running! See you next time in Andy’s Corner!

*unless you ARE David Gilmour, in which case you are always going to sound awesomely like Sir David Gilmour at all times and for that I and millions of others are eternally grateful..!

Comments

Bill says:

Ok never thought I’d ever say this about you guys. I get business is business. BUT great advertisement…..

posted on August 31, 2013 at 12:19 pm

Julio says:

What a nice research! I admire too much Gilmour’s talent and guitar performance. I ever want to know about its devices to play. Thank you for share it with us!

posted on August 31, 2013 at 1:02 pm

Mario says:

OK, and once you get his sound then what? Do you intend to be a clone forever? A complete musician has to be able to create, and if you want to leave a mark you must work in your own concept and sound. The musical instruments industry, specially in the USA is so obsessed with certain players: Hendrix, Gilmour, Van Halen, Slash, Page, and it’s got to the point where it’s so predictible. In fact, musicians have to be able to reinvent and this is something certain players can’t get over: Malmsteen, Blackmore etc. JUst be your own, you can start with a template, but eventually you’ll have to create your own character, and you can’t do it emulating someone else’s.

posted on August 31, 2013 at 1:10 pm

Julio says:

Mario, i agree with you. I’m just starting at playing guitars, and is usual to get someone as your ‘hero’. I saw Satriani, Vai, Alex Lifeson and The Edge playing live, and i love that. (‘They know and they show’.) My pretensions are create my own riffs, but, for me its a little dream. My guitar level nowadays only permits me stand in contemplation of these good guys. But, i know you’re all right, and its a wise idea for my musical growing. Thank you.

posted on August 31, 2013 at 1:24 pm

Johnny D. says:

I say work with the equipment that you have to get your signature tone…I believe it comes down to dedication, time, and practice…for the classic Gilmour tone, a quality strat, tube amp, delay pedal, and od/distortion are right on…For me recently, I have a 57’ USA reissue (from the 80’s in fiesta red all original), a 70’s Fender Princeton reverb, Fulltone OCD and an Ibanez aAD9 analog delay and a good bass player who digs Roger Waters…Been jammin’ the Dark Side of the Moon stuff recently…..don’t forget to enjoy it and have fun….

posted on August 31, 2013 at 2:15 pm

Teleblooz says:

I think the point made in the second sentance (studying his tone and trying to replicate it can teach you a lot about yourself as a player and even help you hone in on your own sound) is quite valid….especially for players just starting out. Trying to ape Johnny Winters tone, licks and phrasing some 40 years ago help me find my own voice as a guitar player. I don’t sound or play anything like Johnny (there’s only one JW!) or BB, Freddie, Eric, Albert, et cet….but learing what I could about their gear and style helped me find my style….as far as gear goes, it was what I could afford! So….as much as I love and admire everything about David Gilmours playing, I’ll never be David. Thankfully with all the info, access and gear out there today, someone starting out can begin the quest to find the unique voice and tone inside them. Thanks for the great article!

posted on August 31, 2013 at 2:24 pm

dave says:

It’s okay to start from some hero’s tone (and gear) on a quest for your own sound. We all have our influences. Just don’t take their gear choices as the best way to get YOUR sound in the long run. For example, I love Alex Lifeson’s tone. For years, I chased different chorus sounds, trying to get that rich spread. Found out I’m just not a chorus player - I need a focused tone, not a diffuse one. On the other hand, Lifeson’s dense chord voicings really stuck with me, as did his palm-muted arpeggios.

There’s a lot to learn from David Gilmour’s gear choices. Single-coils plus fuzz into flange, delay, and a big clean amp is a great formula for a big, dramatic tone. Humbuckers into a fizzy Marshall would be too soft and unfocused. But what it’ll really teach you is to leave a lot of space for the sound to ring out and develop. (For an opposite take, listen to Robert Fripp’s amazing work from Bowie’s “Scary Monsters” album. The clanging, metallic, Les Paul + flange + gain that works so well would sound almost silly with a Gilmour-like clear tone).

One thing I’ve learned is that you really need to try a lot of different fuzzes and delays to find what works for you. They’re not interchangeable! Delays in particular have very different attack characteristics. Everyone talks about the “analog” or “tape” high frequency roll-off and modulation, but I’ve found that the real difference is how the delay grabs the leading edge of a note. I use three different delays to get different characters.

posted on August 31, 2013 at 2:32 pm

Jerry Dunaway says:

Great article! I’m not going to take the time to re-find the page, but if you google Gilmour Strat Pickups, there is a website that tells the specs of each pickup (I think both on the original and the replica), so if you are inclined to do so, you could buy pickups to match that.

That said, I agree with the posters on here saying not to be a clone. Ever since I started playing guitar, I have been a HUGE Clapton fan (still am), and I learned a lot from his music, and also going back to HIS influences. I’ve had friends and audience members tell me that they can tell I listened to a lot of Clapton, but that I don’t sound like a “wannabe,” trying to sound like him. I take that as a compliment, and I think that is the way all players should be. Take all the influence you can from your favorite players, just don’t try to “be” them…

posted on August 31, 2013 at 2:53 pm

James Demestihas says:

David Gilmour is never going to sound like me.
and for that I and millions of others are eternally grateful..!

posted on August 31, 2013 at 4:22 pm

StanSki says:

I’m a huge David Gilmour fan. My wallet isn’t too fat. I bought the EMG drop-in system which I put into a cherry red w/maple neck Mexi-Strat. The guitar was nice to begin with, the Gilmour drop-in was the creamy icing on the cake. The lettering and icing flower buds comes in the form of the AMPKIT system loaded onto an iPhone that I have just for the occasion that I use along with the AmpLink audio converter. I can build and use a variety of amp and effects to mimic any setup and sound I want to without going out and buying all the gear necessary. That’s how I get my Gilmour on.

posted on August 31, 2013 at 6:12 pm

Will says:

There we go again. Not one Guitar Super Hero has played a standard, unmodified, factory, run of the mill, BIG Guitar Company guitar model. Not one. Clapton, Brian May,Slash, Gilmour, Richards. Nope. Don’t you ever feel that you are being sold the same old same old, that was not good enough in its original configuration to satisfy one of the heroes you emulate, and dedicate your life trying to clone? Only USA guitars are good enough, but all of the manufacturers have their ‘other guitars made in asian countries. After all, Gibson’s biggest seller is…..the Epiphone Lp Special 2. And not one person on this forum would admidt that they think this is a “great’ guitar.

posted on August 31, 2013 at 7:45 pm

Richie says:

Great article!

I started playing guitar right after I was awe-struck with Gilmour’s tone in P.U.L.S.E. It was a perfect mix of smooth, high-gain tones and sparkling clean chords - not to mention his delay and rotary cab setup. I was hooked, man!

I’ve always gone after my own tone, but for the longest time I tried to nail a few of my favourite Gilmour tones and apply them to my own songs. No-one ever sounds exactly like someone else and the fine line between a hack and the real deal pretty much boils down to the distinction between a newbie and an experienced player. Everyone eventually grows into their own thing when playing.

As far as gear goes I’m pretty happy with my own setup. I’ve been lucky enough to get two EHX/Sovtek pedals - a Big Muff (yellow lettering) and a Small Stone - and a ProCo Vintage Rat for a more “mid-rangey”, chunky distortion. I have, after giving them a fair chance and trying out several other options, bought several Danelectro pedals. Specifically the cool cat series - Chorus, Version 1 Overdrive and Vibe. If we’re talking “on a budget” you can’t ever go wrong with them! I’m running a 1990 Aria Pro II Fullerton (HSS with coil tap and the “Gilmour” mod) into a Marshall JCM2000 TSL100 and routing the modulation pedals through the fx loop. The crunch channel has huge head-room and effectively works as a great clean channel with the gain rolled off. Right now I’m saving up to get a T.Rex Delay, either the Replica or the Reptile. In conclusion I’ve pretty much been able to nail some of my favourite Gilmour sounds and then make my own.

PS: My first axe was an Epiphone LP 100 Studio and I still rock it to this day. Damn proud of it too!

posted on August 31, 2013 at 9:25 pm

Fabiano Bittencourt says:

Jeeeeezzz…. I got a ProGuitarShop Exclusive TC Electronic Alter Ego that promised Gilmour tones. The videos were all based on Pink Floyd and it did not make this list?!
Got sucked into the hype… lesson learned

posted on August 31, 2013 at 9:57 pm

CBJ says:

I wonder if al the people here moaning about “it’s not the gear but the player” are the same ones that have been bragging about which ‘dirt box’ is the awesomest on the planet and only if you get “xyx” like they have will you be ready to RAWK!!!

I think that every piece of gear on the planet is cool and usable in it’s own way if you spend enough time with it to extract out what it can do, learn its limitations and play to its strengths.

That said, this current article is barely scratching the surface . . . which era of Gilmour are you trying to emulate? His tone, while nearly always identifiable as being him has changed over the years and some of the ‘customizations’/ choices’ were done less for ‘tone’ (happy accidents) but for road worthiness and ease of use.

While I do not see the ‘need’ to sound like any given guitar slinger one could do worse than to use Gilmour’s tone as a spring board here is a link to a much more in depth page.

http://www.gilmourish.com/?page_id=205

I can only underscore that in my opinion trying to sound like someone else is a distraction on the path of self discovery unless you are willing to BREAK SOME RULES!

posted on August 31, 2013 at 10:38 pm

CBJ says:

Sorry, I wanted to add this quote to the above.
It’s on how they achieved the “seagull” effect on Echoes and indicates the benefits of doing things WRONG.

“We discovered it as the result of a serendipitous accident that happened in about 1969 or 1970, when a roadie had plugged the wah in the wrong way, and I stomped into it and got this incredible screaming noise. . .Although the effect pretty much stayed the same throughout the years, David would sometimes experiment like in 1974 when he would add a MXR Phase 90 for an even more dramatic effect “

More on how to think ‘outside the box’ here
http://www.gilmourish.com/?p=754

posted on August 31, 2013 at 10:52 pm

Michael says:

I identify Gilmour’s sound in the way he bends his strings, its an art form often overlooked.

posted on August 31, 2013 at 10:56 pm

Carl says:

So I guess all I have to do is drop about 4 to 10 thousand in so I can sound more like David Gilmour. I need a fuzz tone, a leslie rotary speaker, new amp, new guitar etc.
I learned long long ago I wanted a Martin D-28 because THAT was what Paul Simon played.
But, when I got one…I didn’t really sound like Paul Simon at all!

posted on August 31, 2013 at 11:12 pm

Jonas says:

Yeah, the way he bends the strings and his immaculate sense of timing.

I do think however a key ingredient to his amplified tone is the Fane The Crescendos in those WEM cabs, that scream and thunder with a good dose of finesse. The contemporary Fane Medusa 150C pretty much will get you there, but could do with a smaller and stiffer dustcap. The Weber FC12 is a pretty good approximation but a bit limited in range and dynamics.

I too find it odd the TC Electronic Alterego w. the proprietary Echorec preset isn’t mentioned, nor the fact DG use plenty of compression for his tone. But then the Hiwatts + Fanes would probably have ripped the studio apart if he hadn’t used artificial compression.

posted on September 1, 2013 at 12:08 am

Marc says:

Why?

posted on September 1, 2013 at 1:21 am

Joe Taylor says:

Or to paraphrase what others have already said so well - I aim for my favorite players’ tone, phrasing, and composition skills, usually miss the mark on all of the artists and their qualities, and I end up with my own style - After about 35 years playing, I’m finding defining one’s own style is through careful listening. Listening to recordings of my playing is helpful, as it seems easier to listen critically after the fact instead of while playing. I try to identify the parts that don’t obviously sound like my influences, and concentrate on what I hope are my unique ideas - Hope this is helpful - Joe

posted on September 1, 2013 at 1:37 am

Syrus says:

... Uhm

Where’s the Pete Cornish?

That, and the goldtop used on The Wall album?

There’s still Gilmourish dot com.

posted on September 1, 2013 at 1:41 am

Abbacus says:

A really good amp (and one D.G. Actually uses at smaller gigs) is the Hiwatt SA50 212 combo. They’re a little hard to find, but are great, all-around amps. I saw one in mint condition on eBay a few weeks ago for about $2,400. One of the best examples of his playing style, touch, feel, phrasing, etc., is the song, Shine On You Crazy Diamond. So, as always, play it like you feel it. But if you want to cop a little Gilmore: feel it like he’s playing it.

posted on September 1, 2013 at 1:59 am

Jeff McDonald says:

“Being David Gilmour”....interesting but impossible. Taking your influences in music is all well and good but, as others have said, in the end, it is YOU who are playing. I am still trying to find what ‘tickles my soul’ after 30 years of playing. Coming close but not there yet. As a guitarist, there are tons of gear out there, all sound the same and I’d venture to say that not many of us have our own equipment people to adapt the effects pedals, pickups etc. to get the sound our heroes get. So just be yourself; in the end, it is what your soul tells you, what you feel that will let you know when you have “THAT” sound, the one you have wanted your whole life. For me, I work on my own gear, have different guitars for different feel and could open a music store with the effects I have collected over the years. It’s all good, just make it your own.

posted on September 1, 2013 at 2:32 am

Ray says:

Very informative advertisement! I totally agree with the Catalinbread Echorec as an approximation of the classic Binson. However, when discussing the “necessary” fuzz pedals I noticed something curiously missing (and obvious to anyone who has researched Gilmour’s effects or listened to him discuss his sound): no mention of the B.K. Butler Tube Driver. Gilmour has described this as an essential pedal for him, providing the warm fat thickness behind his tone along with that crunchy edge on his bends and sustain. I guess perhaps it doesn’t bear mention when you can’t purchase it at PGS, though. That being said, I LOVE PGS and all of their very informative videos and articles.

posted on September 1, 2013 at 2:40 am

Jeff McDonald says:

Just read through the comments again and want to direct this to Will, who commented that no one on this forum would admit to playing Epiphones. I WILL admit to playing Epiphone’s over Gibson’s. I believe that Epiphone makes better guitars than Gibson now especially for the price difference. I think Gibson’s “daughter” company has surpassed the parent in playability, Quality Control and sound. I am in the process of selling my Gibson’s, except for my beloved ‘61 SG. Keeping my Fender’s, two Epi’s that have tones to die for, my Rickenbackers and MusicMan Steve Morse, which might be the best guitar I own. So, Will, here is the admission that a lifetime player (over 35 years) thinks Epiphone has surpassed Gibson!!!

posted on September 1, 2013 at 3:48 am

Dennis DeWinter says:

Great article with some great gear suggestions!
Thanks

posted on September 1, 2013 at 4:14 am

Hierpglyph says:

There are so many websites dedicated to this phenomena..

I use what I have and get damned close - Cool Cat Vibe, BOSS ME-5 (for that Germanium Fuzz - as I have the BOUTIQUE Tone Set Upgrade for it see: boss-pedals.jimdo.com) and Digitech Delay. Strat or P90 PRS does the front end into a Super Reverb amp.

posted on September 1, 2013 at 4:32 am

Ken says:

I have a Johnson Strat that I bought used for $80 bucks. I bought it to learn how to work on guitars with, and at that price i wont be too upset if i screw it up! It needed some soldering but once I got things together the way they should be it sounded pretty good. I’ve looked at Mexican Strats and this one seems to have been put together better. It came with passive pickups that were designed by EMG and they sounds pretty good, but then I saw the demo video on Lace’s Holy Grail Pickups and loved the tone. http://www.lacemusic.com/Holy_Grails.php
Has anyone used these and if so do you think they would give a Gilmore like tone?

posted on September 1, 2013 at 5:57 am

Mojave Johnson says:

Wow. What an incredibly narrow vision of Gilmour’s tone! David Gilmour IS known for playing Strats, but he also plays Teles, Les Pauls, and several other guitars, both in the studio and live. In fact, some of his “signature” solos that he’s known most for were NOT played on a Strat!

Also, The Hot Rod Deluxe is NO WHERE NEAR the Gilmour sound!! You’d be MUCH better off with a Deluxe Reverb or Twin Reverb, both of which have Fender’s lush “vibrato” circuit (which is actually tremolo, not vibrato, but that’s a whole other issue), which Gilmour does use on occasion.

posted on September 1, 2013 at 6:47 am

Lixamps says:

What I think is missed is not his tone which is great, but his phrasing and choice of notes. He doesn’t play standard riffs but plays melodically which is what aspiring guitarists should get out of his playing. Now obviously, everyone borrows from someone else but it is how you play as an individual that makes the difference. What the great guitarists have is their own signature playing style and tone that makes them instantly recognizable in a recording.

posted on September 2, 2013 at 12:12 am

mattyboy says:

let me start with this…everybody knows that it was me ,not gilmore ..that is the best and most awesome guitarist on earth..nuff said..send me some free pedals andy..and to all you wannabes,stop.play the guitar in your style and sound like you…just spend alot of money buying gear from pro guitar shop.atleast 1 pedal a week…oh yeah..andy send me one of those custom shop abigail ybarra strats for me to demo ..ill test it for 10 years,and then tell you if its awesome

posted on September 2, 2013 at 12:31 am

Cosmiccowboy says:

I’m sorry fella’s I usually dig your articles, product, videos but theres probably a dozen ways to Gilmore’s “sound” other than that mentioned. As a couple of other posts stated ... “sucked into the hype…” and “... great advertisement”. Sorry but in my opinion ... article=FAIL

posted on September 2, 2013 at 1:11 am

Ken says:

@lixamps, that’s why I like his music so much. He put things together logically so the the song flowed through. You can remember every note, every swell, every bridge and every riff because he put them where they need to be to make the song flow. When he did something different it was to set everything else in motion like the alarms in Time. Then the drum solo that led into the vocals. Most songs had a hook in the intro, but Gilmour could get away with a double intro because he knew how to put it together logically, so two very different thing became the way the song flowed.

posted on September 2, 2013 at 1:51 am

CBJ says:

It doesn’t hurt that Alan Parsons was involved . . . his fingerprints are all over it. Prior to DSOTM Pink Floyd was known more for super extended instrumental wanderings not that there is anything wrong with that).
DSOTM is really Floyd’s entry into the so called ‘mainstream’ and marks the integration of song structure with ‘leitmotif’ in a more succinct manner.

Again, I am dismayed by many of the comments here which in the past seem to have been in favor of using ‘xyz’ equipment in order to sound like ‘123’ and arguing the merits of following one best method to play ‘better, faster, smoother, louder etc’ and now you seem to all in a tizzy about an article that provides a ‘recipe’ of sorts to do that.

I can only jump to the conclusion and assume that it is because it leaves so little room for some to flex their muscles and measure appendage size.

Me? I find it interesting in an academic way to discuss how something was done . . . as far as it goes. On the equipment front . . . there is not one single device that cannot be used to make an appropriate contribution given the positive context. For cryin’ out loud Page used a violin bow and look at Sonny Chillingworth “Needle and Thread”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt_7hfRL-gg

It’s ALL good.

GROW UP!

posted on September 2, 2013 at 2:36 am

Big Willy says:

There are articles written for all levels for guitarist on here, from beginners to veteran players. If you found fault with this article you are likely a more experienced player. Beginning guitarists like to emulate their idols as they learn. They will either move on to find theor own sound and grom as players or they will give it up and go do somethiong else.

My rig produces many different “sounds”, when I cover a PF song, I like to sound somewhat like the guy I’m covering. While I don’t get it exactly, I get close enough. And I openly admit I can’t play like DG, but who can? Only DG himself I think.

So lighten up, if you think buying the gear that an artist use will make sound like them, you’re wrong. If you think you got duped, you’re wrong too. I have rebuilt my rig dozens of times over the years. Bought countless pedals, rack units, axes, only to sell them later when I found something I liked better. Hell, I’ve had more than a dozen different tuners and fuzz/distrotion pedals and finally settled down on a programmable tube amp from the good folks over at Hughes & Kettner (SwitchBlades are awesome).

It’s the journey not the destination.

posted on September 2, 2013 at 8:25 am

Rodney Yearwood says:

I have never found it necessary to disagree with an article from your fine organization, but this one is off by just a bit. Back in 1970 I had the pleasure of playing with an exceptional guitar named John Tyson and he nailed Gilmour using a Strat and a Boogie Mark 1 so…........... It’s in the hands. That’s all I’m saying

posted on September 2, 2013 at 10:13 am

liubei says:

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posted on September 2, 2013 at 3:52 pm

Wii says:

Jeff McDonald, good reply. But….i mentioned the Epi Lp special 11…touted as mahogany in ads…yes , but plywood just the same. The tuners…embarresing on a name brand product. Sadly, I agree with you. I work in a guitar shop in Oz. Gibsons and Epis always need to be to have everything tightened, jacks, pots, tuners…everything. I was stating that most of the pantheon of guitar gods did not find a guitar suitable for their sound ‘off the rack’ in a store. They were all modified heavily. Jimi had a pedal builder offstage! My gripe is this constant pushing of the idea that you can buy tone. I have noticed that the build quality of some asian Epi’s is better than the lower level Gibson les pauls. Gibsons I have popped the control hatch on, sport 22 cent ceramic caps to enhance their tone , while Gibson flogs PIO REPLICA (modern caps in historic plastic coating) for over $100. Gibson obviously believes that the ceramic is good enough for you in their entry level guitars.Thanks for your honest defence of your brand choice. I am just trying to get people to stop touting guitars simply because the are branded ‘made in the good ole US of A or are from a company that hasn’t really introduced a new model since the early 60’s. Paint colour and a different pickup do not constitute a new model.

posted on September 2, 2013 at 7:01 pm

Ed Harmicar says:

buying equipment from a laundry list of guitar greats go to tools will not make you sound like gilmour,claptons strat will not make you sound like clapton,etc;.All the greats had heroes that they copped licks, styles,and gear from,But they added their own personality to their playing and developed their own signature sound and style,we all do this whether consciously or subconsciuosly.just play and be yourself,personal satisfaction is better than any accolades you will receive from the press ,friends ,relatives.and most importantly,remember- there is no wrong way to play the guitar,some peoples flubs in the studio have gone on to become instantly recognizable signature licks.

posted on September 3, 2013 at 12:07 am

Ken says:

My favorite Band is Boston. I bought a full Rockman rig used and put it together because sometime down the road I would like to be able to play some of thier songs and have it sound right. I also like Pink Floyd and would like to play some of their songs as well. I am never going to be Tom Scholz or David Gilmour or anybody else for that matter. But playing any these songs without coming close to thier original tone just doesn’t work for me. How many times have you heard a band cover someone’s song with the wrong tone? It’s like they didn’t even try right? Well know Gilmours tone by heart because we’ve heard his iconic music so many times. But when we hear the Muzak version it’s an insult to our intelligence. If I ever get the chance to play any of this great music for someone I sure as hell don’t want to play the Muzak version.

posted on September 3, 2013 at 4:29 am

Me says:

Suggesting a Fender Hot Rod to try and get Gilmour tone is just lazy. I understand that’s what they sell, but at least suggest something with a British flavor like Hiwatt. Something like a Marshall DSL40 would be a better choice and in the same price range of a HRD. Along with just about anything else with EL34s.

And if you have the scratch, Reeves Amps makes Hiwatt clones with power scaling so you don’t always have to play at blow-your-head-off volumes to get great tone.

posted on September 3, 2013 at 6:37 am

Will says:

Really, the best thing you can do is dress like your favourite guitar player. This is just an extension of owning every bit of gear they had access to. You would have to have the same BRAND of headband of course to sound like Mark Knopfler. You could also practice the same facial contortions as your Idol…..You just cannot play Gary Moore stuff without the facial bending. A good KFC bucket will have you on track to cop Buckethead. But with Jimi, you have to have a curly cord. But really, deep down in side, you know it has to have the same sticker on it as your hero. If you shaved the Gibson headstock, logo off a 59 Lp, it would not be possible to sound the same. If you put a Cort or Sammick sticker on it , ALL the forum menbers would write about how crap it sounded. Sticker envy. How sad.

posted on September 3, 2013 at 10:06 am

Greg says:

I will agree with the people who say that you should find your own sound but, you can still learn a lot about the instrument by studying the musical styles of “The Greats” Gilmore himself would probably quote a few players that influenced his playing if you asked him. No one springs up from the ground with a totally unique sound overnight.

posted on September 3, 2013 at 11:48 am

Cliff Lang says:

Guys, please. Yes it says “get Gilmour tone,” but come on. This is just a shortcut; try to remember that not everybody is a master of the electric guitar like me, you and Andy. There are a lot of kids just starting out, hungry for knowledge, and this kind of verbal shorthand is simple to understand, even for a novice. “Gilmour tone” is better than a lot of technical language, for newbies. Give ‘em a break.
Secondly, don’t be so literal! This kind of expression is common in lessons. “Unless you are like one of them, (children) thou shalt not enter the kingdom of heaven.” That doesn’t mean you actually have to become a child. That would be impossible. Just for one example. “Honey, be a lamb and get me a cup of tea,” said my grandmother. Obviously I was stuck being a boy at the time. Ya know?
There was a sign on a building I lived in, on the entranceway door to the street: “Please keep this door closed at all times,” it said. Obviously this was impossible. And we all knew what it meant- make sure the door’s closed behind you after you come in or go out.
You get my drift. There’s a lot of good information in this article. Personally I have no desire to ape Gilmour’s tone or SRV’s or Jimi’s or Jimmy’s or… well maybe Andy’s. Sometimes. And OK it does tout a couple of products sold here. Whattaya expect. BFD. Let’s concentrate on the valuable tips and tidbits, remember that not everyone who will read this is as knowledgeable, wise and sophisticated as you and I… (and I’m not so sure about you) and not get our panties all in a bunch. Some people just seem to enjoy taking things the wrong way and getting all p!ssed off. But that’s the kind of thing I’d expect to find on a drummers’ forum.

posted on September 3, 2013 at 12:08 pm

Pat says:

Equipment aside, to get that Gilmour sound, you need stellar musicians with you. What made Pink Floyd sound so great and their sound so eternal is the quality of the musicians in the group. Each one relying on the other to backup the lead. Without the other great musicians, you sound quite silly all by yourself, at least after the first few minutes.

all good sounds come from good players, be it EVH or Mike Fuller or our friend here Andy…...it is possible to get too much into the idea that THIS piece of gear is gonna make you sound better. The best sounds are in the hands of the player.

posted on September 4, 2013 at 7:19 am

Bobby0 says:

@Abbacus makes a good point regarding Gilmore’s use of the Hiwatt SA212. It’s a very versatile amp ,and the tone can be sweet as can be. One point I haven’t seen mentioned here is even if you duplicate exactly the instrumentation , the room you record in makes all the difference in the world.

posted on September 4, 2013 at 1:52 pm

Jerry Dunaway says:

I’ve gotta agree with everyone who has said “it’s all in the hands!” I recently saw a video on YouTube that was either the rehearsal, or the “after party” of Chuck Berry’s “Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll,” which featured, among others, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton. On this particular video, Eric had picked up some “random Strat,” with a rosewood fingerboard (for anyone who is unaware, he usually plays a solid maple neck)... obviously, this was not one of “his” guitars, but when he gets called out for solos, they are unmistakably Clapton licks, and have the unmistakable Clapton Tone. Most, if not all, of us could pick up one of his guitars and it would not sound anything like EC himself, and the same goes for Gilmour, Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Otis Rush, etc….

posted on September 4, 2013 at 3:40 pm

Fred says:

Ok. I can understand the sentiment of all you “real” guitar players, but jeez. What business is it of yours if someone wants to buy some gear to try to emulate someone’s tone? Do you somehow think you’re going to shame someone into not doing it? Or that their buying a pedal or a guitar is somehow going to be the downfall of “real” guitar players everywhere?

Seriously, lighten up. Or let me come over to your house and find some hobby of yours that *you’re* doing *wrong*. I’m sure I can find something.

posted on September 5, 2013 at 12:39 am

patrick says:

Fred- marketing of gear will use endorsemenst of famous players trying to generate excitement (sales)...That’s all it is…I’ve seen first hand a very famous player endorsing his signature line of amps, but at the arena, none of those amps even had electrical cords!! His set up was off to the side, old beat up non endorsed and sounded HUGE… My point is about sound being in the head & hands of the artist…there are a zillion guitar players, but only one DG…one EVH…one SRV…the way they sound, the way they play is 100% themselves…not the fact that DG used HiWatts, or SRV used fenders & marshalls…it’s all in the individual, not the gear.

posted on September 5, 2013 at 1:28 am

Jim H says:

Fred - Bravo. I agree. An article like this is about having fun learning how creative people create unique sounds on their instruments and then using that information as a springboard to our own creativity. Every single big time guitarist started out trying to emulate their heroes, but in the end moved on to their own sounds. The master painters of the past used to learn by copying other master paintings in museums, etc. Besides, not everyone who reads this is an aspiring professional, but play their guitar as a hobby, for the pure pleasure of it, and if you get pleasure from recreating the guitar tones of your favorite guitarist, then go for it! Everyone else, please chill out and let us have our fun without someone preaching in our ears that the only way to play music is THEIR WAY!

posted on September 6, 2013 at 5:02 am

Rusty L says:

ya know I kept reading all this stuff about being clones and copying and all that but if you do a little reading im pretty sure youll see that most of our heroes started out trying to emulate their heroes tunesand that’s how they ended up sounding the way they do, when you learn to play music you typically start out playing other peoples music, and not everyone is out trying to create good music for everyone, some people just enjoy playing the instrument even if that means playing David Gilmour tunes their whole lives, and one of the best ways to improve your playing or to get out of a playing slump is to learn new songs from your favorite bands!